Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether Companies House is taking steps to protect directors from penalties due to the gap between statutory written options and digital-only guidance.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There is no divergence in the standard of identity verification that must be achieved via the digital, non-digital and hybrid routes. Secondary legislation, Registrar's Rules and published guidance set out identity verification requirements and empower the Registrar of Companies to establish the mechanisms through which this standard can be achieved.
The level of confidence that must be met to provide assurance that a person is who they claim to be is consistent across all routes to verification. The acceptable forms of documentation for each option have been clearly set out in Registrar's Rules and supporting guidance.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether Companies House undertook an equality impact assessment in relation to its changes to the director ID verification requirements.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Equality impacts were considered as part of the Impact Assessment prepared for the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, which introduced identity verification requirements. It concluded the measures are not expected to have any disproportionate impact on individuals with protected characteristics.
Companies House allow individuals to verify their identity via Authorised Corporate Service Providers, or GOV.UK One Login. Where identity cannot be verified online, users may be directed to complete the process in person at a participating Post Office. Companies House also provides tailored support through its contact centre to assist users who may require additional help.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on what statutory authority Companies House is able to exclude non-digital in-writing applications for director ID verification.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The statutory authority for Companies House to exclude non-digital applications for identity verification is provided by sections 1068 and 1117 of the Companies Act 2006, which enable the registrar to impose requirements as to the form and manner of the delivery of applications via the registrar’s rules. Individuals can verify their identity through Companies House routes or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. The verification process has been designed to be as straightforward and accessible as possible and where identity cannot be verified online, users may be directed to complete the process in person at a participating Post Office.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total proceeds of fines on water companies have been since the Treasury announcement on 30 November 2022 that they would be reserved for river restoration; and how much has been spent for this purpose.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Water Restoration Fund, which launched in April this year, is reinvesting water company environmental fines and penalties into projects to improve the water environment. A total of £11 million has been made available for local projects in regions where fines and penalties have been issued between April 2022 and October 2023. The application window for the Water Restoration Fund closed on Friday 7th June and we are currently reviewing applications. The Government is committed to restoring and enhancing the water environment in England.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of direct trains from London Paddington to Hereford have been cancelled in the last six months, by (a) day of the week and (b) time of day.
Answered by Huw Merriman
In the last six months, 44 direct trains from London Paddington to Hereford have been cancelled, and 18 part-cancelled usually meaning termination at Worcester or Great Malvern. This equates to proportions of 4.55% on Mondays, 5.68% on Tuesdays, 10.12% on Wednesdays, 11.73% on Thursdays, 14.04% on Fridays, 10.19% on Saturdays and 16.33% on Sundays. The greatest proportion of cancellations by time have been seen during the hours of 0900-1000, 1100-1200 and 1900-2000. I have asked Great Western Railway to write to you directly with the full set of data in due course.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, of the cancelled direct train services between London and Hereford in the last six months, what proportion of cancellations were caused by matters relating to (a) Great Western Railway and (b) Network Rail.
Answered by Huw Merriman
In the last six months, 9.94% of Great Western Railway’s (GWR’s) direct London to Hereford services were cancelled. GWR confirm that 38.7% of these cancellations were caused by matters relating to Network Rail, and 3.8% because of other train operators. I have asked GWR to write to you directly with the full set of data in due course.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the privatisation of Channel 4 on its annual levels of investment in independent television and film production companies.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Government consulted extensively on the future of Channel 4, and the views and evidence gathered from a wide range of stakeholders has informed the government’s assessment of any potential impact of a change of ownership. The Government published its sale impact analysis on 28 April.
Channel 4 has done an excellent job in supporting the UK production sector and thereby delivering on one of its founding purposes. Forty years on, independent production in the UK is now booming, with revenues having grown from £500 million in 1995 to £3 billion in 2019. Companies are increasingly less reliant on Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs), including Channel 4 for commissions.
Channel 4 still has an important part to play in supporting the sector and our wider creative economy. Channel 4 will still be required to commission a minimum volume of programming from independent producers, in line with the quotas placed on other PSBs.
Channel 4 has strong relationships with independent producers right across the UK and there is no reason this should change. The Government expects a new owner to want to build on and develop those relationships.
The Government believes that in the long run the UK production ecosystem will benefit from a more sustainable Channel 4. A change of ownership that improves Channel 4’s access to capital could increase spending on production.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the projected cash return from the privatisation of Channel 4; and on what assumptions that projection has been made.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Channel 4 has a strong reputation for innovative and diverse content, a proactive strategy to be a digital first provider, and huge popularity with a range of audiences, including valuable younger audiences. The Government expects this will appeal to a broad range of different purchasers.
As with the sale of any government asset, any sale of Channel 4 will involve a careful assessment process to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's valuation is of Channel 4 as of 9 June 2022; and on what assumptions that valuation has been made.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Channel 4 has a strong reputation for innovative and diverse content, a proactive strategy to be a digital first provider, and huge popularity with a range of audiences, including valuable younger audiences. The Government expects this will appeal to a broad range of different purchasers.
As with the sale of any government asset, any sale of Channel 4 will involve a careful assessment process to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Jesse Norman (Conservative - Hereford and South Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in what way her Department intends to treat the revenue from any sale of Channel 4.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Government will look to use some of the proceeds from the sale of Channel 4 to deliver a new creative dividend for the independent production sector.